


Months Later

by ahsim_ynnad



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Poor Peter, Protective Avengers, Psychological Torture, Tag As I Go, Torture, Tortured Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-03-17 18:05:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 8,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahsim_ynnad/pseuds/ahsim_ynnad
Summary: On a mission Peter Parker, AKA Spiderman is taken. Will he ever return to them?---------This is an old work that I never finished on another site, so here I am finishing it.It is good, I promise I just suck at summarizing.





	1. Mission

Peter's been with the Avengers for three years now, and he's come a long way from when Mr. Stark recruited the fourteen year old. Example the whole team grew close, even went as far as giving Peter his own room at the new HQ. Which he gladly used after long nights of patrolling. They usually left him out of mission and left him to patrol, but it was still cool to him. He finally found a schedule to stick to, although it was a busy, and pretty stressful schedule he didn't complain.

School, Stark internship- the real deal this time- and his spiderman duties. It was one hell of a juggling act, but he managed it.

He was currently standing on the roof of some random building, just patrolling like he usually did, when he got a call from Mr. Stark.

"Mr. Stark!" Peter spoke into the phone cheerfully, as he almost always was when they spoke.

"What did I tell you about calling me that, kid?" The voice said, and the man most likely frowning.

"Sorry Mr- Tony, force of habit." Peter said walking around the building.

"Whatever, anyways, reason I called, I need you to come to the tower, we got a mission." Tony said and before Peter could ask eighty questions Tony hung up, no doubt knowing what the teen would do.

Peter spent no time swinging himself towards the Avengers safe house. Then when there wasn't any buildings to swing off he ran. He should've just watched a cab, he thought when he realized how far away the new building was.

He finally made it and ran inside breathing loudly letting the whole team no he was there.

"Jesus kid, did you run here?" Clint asked spotting the kid first. Peter held up a finger, as a signal to wait as he caught his breath.

"Mr. Stark needed me." Peter huffed out, panting every other word.

"Mr. Stark could've also gotten you a ride." Mr- Tony mocked.

"Sorry." Peter said catching his mistake. "But, I wasn't think and I didn't want you to wait up- and by the time I got out of the city there was't any Taxi's in sigh-

"We get." Bruce said cutting a still panting Peter off.

"Right talk to much." Peter grumbled. "The mission?" Peter asked excited.

\-----

The team was currently flying to a remote area in the middle of nowhere. Like every other villain hideout. The mission was to retrieve special weapons that were stolen from SHIELD, and capture the perpetrators. And that's all the information Tony gave.

What made the weapons so special, Peter had no idea, but he was happy to help.

With the ear piece in his ear, obviously, he listened to Steve as he gave directions. Peter of course had to wait last to go into the building.

But as the whole team went into the building from different areas, he stayed on the roof. He noticed a small hatch and his curiosity got the better of him. He quickly opened it and slid into the room.

Inside he found was a small room, no doubt a hide out. He opened the door that led outside of the room and into a much lighter room.

He found himself starring at two men grabbing what looked like advanced looking pieces of machinery. And the SHIELD logo on it made it easy for Peter.

"I'm a thousand percent sure those guns don't belong to you." Peter said leaning against the wall trying to look like a badass.

The two men quickly turned over scared. Peter shoot webs at the two perps, evidently sticking the two to the wall. 

Just as he was about to call his discovery to the team, his spider senses went haywire making him turn around, to see another man ready to shoot him.

Peter shoot a web at the gun knocking it out of the man's hands. The man then ran into Peter and started punching. He only landed half of them but before Peter could do anything the man head butted him. It caught Peter of balance and before he knew it the man had the SHIELD gun pointed at him. And he fired.

In a spilt second pain shot through him. No bullet came out, no of course SHIELD didn't have normal weapons. No there was light blue light coming off the gun, and pointed to Peter. Whatever it was, was causing the pain Peter felt, but he couldn't move, it pained him to much.

The man then hit Peter with the gun knocking him unconscious.


	2. Missing

Steve ran towards the direction of the scream as quickly as he could, but found it was hard to find exactly where it was coming, but as he walked into a dimly lit room, and spotting guns with SHIELD logos clearly on them.

Steve turned to look around the room and saw two men trapped on the wall by a web. Steve frowned and looked around, to see the kid was nowhere in sight, but as he scanned the area he saw a small ear piece on the floor.

"Someone took Peter." Steve notified the team, it was silent, but Steve gave orders for everyone to scan the perimeter.

Hours later they found nothing. Meeting up at the quinjet with the weapons and perps in a separate truck that was going straight to SHIELD.

No one said anything. Peter was missing, and if the scream he let out was any clue he was in big danger.

Bruce walked over to Tony who looked the most guilt ridden.

"You alright-"

"Me? You're seriously worried about me? I got a kid out there being maimed possibly!" Tony said angry at himself for even thinking it was a good a idea to take the kid. "I shouldn't have even brought him along." HE said softly now.

"It wasn't your fault-

"It is, Bruce! He was under my wing! He trusted me!" Tony yelled and pressed the button for the quinjet to open the cargo hold. He then jumped out and waited for the Iron Man suit to follow him.


	3. Bruce

Bruce was working on- something, he couldn't pay attention. He didn't even know what he was supposed to be doing.

Normally when he was in the lab Peter would observe with him. Making comments that would distract the older man. Now all the surrounded the scientist was dead silence. Everyone else was usually busy with air own thing.

_"That's cool! I can't wait till I get to play-_

_"Hey! Hey! Kid you're not going to play with anything, understand?" Bruce warned. "This is serious, one wrong move and it explodes all over us." Bruce said giving the kid a hard eye._

_"Right. Maybe not play per se, but-_

_"Don't you have an internship to get to,Kid?" Bruce asked half serious, knowing he secretly enjoyed the boys company._

_"I'm finished for the day, and I have free time before I go patrolling." Peter said scratching the back of his neck._

Bruce did now regret every time he tossed the kid out. He did try focusing on his current project.

"You ok there, Banner?" Natasha asked leaning against the door, arms crossed, eyebrow raised in question.

"Yeah, a little tired. Why?" Bruce said starting to put of some equipment.

Natasha looked at Bruce with a pity smile on her face. She wasn't going to say how she had been standing there for ten minutes just watching him stare at an empty chair.

"I'm just worried about you. You didn't eat today." She said worry obvious in her voice.

"I'll eat when I'm hungry." Bruce said shaking off the guilt for talking to Natasha like that.

"Bru-"

"Can you go? I'm sure you have more important things to do Nat." Bruce said not feeling like being taken care of.

Not when they should be taking care of Peter...


	4. Steve

Steve punched the bag over and over, till the beg feel of the hook it was on, frustrated of this happening for the fifth time he kicked it, landing it near a boxing ring.

He wasn't frustrated that the punching bag wasn't built to deal with him. No he was frustrated at the lack of updates on Peter's whereabouts. It's been over two months and nothing was happening. No new news. None of the perps talked, they didn't even know why they were sent to pick up the weapons. They were useless.

He grabbed another bag and put it on the rack and began the brutal process all over again.

He punched the bag and he already heard the bag tear.

_"You know if you didn't hit the bags that hard they might last a bit longer." Peter said hanging on to the ring, choosing to play on the ropes instead of training like he told Steve he would do._

_Steve stopped hitting the bag and raised an eyebrow at the teen who had been talking the whole time._

_"Right, you really can't tone that back can you?" Peter asked flipping on the mat._

_"I can restrain myself. Granted not as much as I would like to." Steve said going back to punching the bag. After a minute of silence Peter went back to the ropes and hoped on them to sit on._

_"Did-did you um... ahem." Peter said hesitantly afraid to ask a question._

_"We've been friends long enough for you to ask me any question you want Peter." Steve said, not missing the gigantic smile that appeared on the teens face when he mentioned them being friends. It made Steve smile at how giddy the kid was at the most simplest things._

_"Um, did you like boxing before the um, transformation?" Peter said afraid he crossed a line, and Steve knew that so he stopped, never once had Peter asked about pre- serum Steve. Now he knew why, Peter thought it was crossing a line. Did Peter-_

Steve punched the bag too hard not only breaking it from the rack, but breaking the bag itself, letting it spill it's content on the dirty floor.

He stopped and sat down on the floor. He missed the kid. He was scared for him too.


	5. Tony

Tony search everywhere on the dark markets to see if there was any talk about spiderman. None so far, so he put out feelers to see if anyone knew anything about it. A month went by and he was angry at himself. Because if he even cared about the kid, the kid that had grown on him! He wouldn't have let him go on the mission- no any mission. He was in fact a kid that had his whole future ahead of him.

After two months the team gave up trying to get Tony out of work. He stayed mostly in the garage improving the tech he was working on. But nothing distracted him from the pain of the kid being missing.

Three months went by and his aunt stopped calling Peter on how he was doing at the college in a foreign country, since she never really talked to Peter himself. Well it could've been that, or the fact that Tony stopped answering her calls, finding it too painful to lie to this women over and over again.

_"Please! She doesn't trust me!" Peter said begging Tony._

_"Well newsflash kid, she doesn't trust me either." Tony said beginning to walk away. "Plus, I'm sure we can manage without eight legs walking around." Tony said._

_"Hey! We said no more spider jokes!" Peter said frowning at the playboy._

_"I'm not calling your aunt and lie to her." Tony said ignoring the comment._

_"It's not like you haven't done it before." Peter said._

_"And by god do I hate lying to your aunt." Tony lied with no amount of effort to make it sound believable._

_"Mr- Tony! Please, it's just one day, I can miss one day of school! It won't kill me."_

_"But going on a mission just might." Tony said in a stern voice._

_"What about you!" Peter said the worry in his voice obvious._

_Tony looked at the kid and sighed. The puppy eyes made it hard to say no._

_"This is the last time I'm lying to your aunt. Understood?" Tony said uncrossing his arms._

_"I promise!" Peter said jumping up and down in excitement._

"So much for that promise, kid." Tony said downing the expensive drink, while he heard his phone ring from behind him.


	6. Natasha

Three months and she didn't know what to do, she already went out talked- 'talked'- to anyone who may have any information on Spiderman. She even went as far as to go back to her old ways. But nothing, who ever took him knew how to cover his tracks.

She sat in bed, she should be sleeping, she  _had_  been trying to sleep the past few hours, but she couldn't. 

_"Nat?" Peter groaned from his bed where he was at, just waking up. While she was on the edge looking around his room._

_"Go to sleep?" She asked glancing back to make sure he didn't try getting out of bed._

_"Wher- Where's the Tony?" He asked, pain clearly in his voice, just remembering hearing Tony's voice._

_"They're dealing with the robbers." Natasha said._

_"And they sent you to babysit?" he asked trying to sit up._

_"Oh trust me I did my part."She said with a faint smile on her face, she was proud. "Down, you need to rest." She ordered._

_"I can't sleep, Nat." He said, but he was tired._

_"I'm sure you can find a way." She said  still looking around, knowing with the medicine the nurse gave him, he'd be out within seconds again. And of course she was right because she heard his breathing slow back down._

_She sat down on the bed next to him and looked down at the kid. He looked relaxed, peaceful. Though there was still some cuts on his face from the men who tried robbing the kid, he still looked relaxed._

_Not knowing what compelled her to due so, she began to sing. It was an old Russian song that she remembered from long ago, in another life..._

_Peter smiled in his sleep, obviously finding the singing comforting._

_She smiled back at the bruised teen._

She just wished she found that memory comforting. Because now all she felt was a pain in her heart, for the kid she had grown to- 

She sat up in her bed and went down the training facility. She was getting soft, she needed to train.

 


	7. Sam

Sam hadn't known the kid. Hell Thor was closer to him and he was traveling the whole dimension through and through!

But he knew that the kid was a good soul. Crazy and young, but he was one of the good ones.

It hurt him to know that someone so young was being expose to god knows what.

He walked into Steve's room, about to ask him if he wanted to go for a morning jog, when he saw Steve drawing on his pad, with a pencil, normally he used pencils when he wanted to jot something down that came to mind, he drew everyone of the members including Sam, they were all beautifully done-

He saw Steve sketching, lightly as if to be gentle, Peter smiling at a gift Stark had given him. Suppose to help his web shooters if Sam recalled correctly.

He remembered that day because...

"Hey, watch where you shoot those things Charlotte!" Sam said when Peter was testing out the web shooters and accidentally hit Sam with it. Everyone else laughed, even Rhodey, who was always serious, well not when he was with Tony. "Ha-ha laugh it up."

The kid shot him a sorry look, but the smile was still there, he was excited about the new gear, and Sam didn't blame the kid.

"Sorry! I was trying to hit the cup!" He said and tried again and luckily got the cup this time. "YES!" He yelled and jumped up so high he lost hit the high ceiling.

"Hey calm it down spider boy- don't want to get a hole in the newly fixed ceiling!" Tony scolded with no heat behind it.

"Sorry Mr.Stark!" Peter said quickly and Tony rolled his eyes.

"I though Rhodey said it was Stank now?" Sam asked and Peter Laughed while Tony shot Sam a jokingly glare.

"Nice one, Rhodey." Tony said and went to sit by Clint. "Legos I got a gift for.....

Sam slowly walked out of the room and went down to the kids room.

There on the desk were the web shooters, token a bit a part because Peter was trying to modify it to his liking.

"Guess your aim was half bad kid."


	8. Bucky

Bucky sat in the room Tony had arranged for him.

He had just finished up following up a lead on the Parker kid.

He personally wasn't as attached to the kid as everyone but he did miss the kid. He also felt like it was the least he could do for Tony for hosting him.

"Hey did you just get back?" Steve asked and Bucky looked up to look at Steve. He looked wrecked.

"Yeah, went out for a jog." Bucky lied with a small nod, while pushing his sweaty hair out of his face, he should probably shower.

"Did you stop by anywhere?" Steve asked with crossed arms leaning against the door, almost filling up the whole door with his frame,which still blew Bucky's mind that he was big now.

"What would make you say that, pal?" Bucky asked and Steve smiled.

"Old habits never change." He raised his hand and pointed to Bucky's arm, where there he wrote a number to another lead because he had no paper. "Did some dame give you her number?" Steve asked with a small smile.

"Two dolls actually." Bucky said turning his hand over to show another number.

"Well glad to see you're still a hit with the dames." Steve said. "So where did you go?" He asked. "Brooklyn?"

"Queens." Bucky said, not seeing any reason to lie on that part. "Small shop Peter told me about."


	9. Thor

Thor landed gracefully on the balcony of the tower of one Tony. It had been over a month if he was correct, and well past sunset, with the moon hanging above them, though not brightly.

He had just gotten back from strip to visit his brother in Asgard. One that was very enraging, his brother needed help. But would not take any.

He glanced inside and saw many of his friends inside all looking distressed.

"Friends! Why is it that you all look as if someone has-" What did Darcy speak? "Run... Over your Ca-Dog?" He asked and saw their faces flashed with pity.

Pity? Why would his friends feel pity? He looked around to see if he had missed anything. The day was not one of which the Man of Spiders should be at school.

"Is the child off to bed? or has his lovely Aunt taken his guardianship this evening?" Thor asked hoping to see his newest friend in combat. 

He looked to his right, where Steve now stood with a face a regret.

"What is it that seems to bother you, Steven?" Thor asked flashing a face of worry.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but we-" His voice trembled and Thor's worry escalated rapidly. "W-we lost Peter." He said closing his eyes as if to hid his tears.

For a moment Thor wanted to give him comfort and consult him that it was alright to weep. Until the words caught up to his mind.

"Lost Peter? What do you mean- lost-We must execute the man responsible for the death of our-our friend at once!" Thor declared with his heart.

"He got kidnapped." Natasha the woman with fiery burning red hair said. Nad Thor turned to her. 

"Kidnapped? The boy was stolen? Ho-how is that possible- he was under secure protection-" Thor saw the look of guilt cloud of the Man of Iron, Tony. 

"It was during a mission- and we weren't focused-"

"He shouldn't have gone!" Tony blurted with rage, it was clear to Thor that it was towards his own guilt.

"We must find the man responsible!" Thor said again. "I vow to make the man pay on Odin himself." Thor said feeling his heart hurt for the small child who was merely to young.

He walked out of the tower and cast himself out with the name of Heimdall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was pointed out in the original work that Thor should've asked Heimdall where Peter was- Turst me I know I messed up on that part, but I end up fixing this plat hole later.


	10. Peter

He heard a door open, but at this point he had heard that rusty old door open millions of times, and never once was it a good thing. That door only let pain come in.

He didn't even know why at this point, as far as he need, the guy doing this was doing it at random. Maybe because he was Spiderman, but never once had he said why Peter was being tortured.

He knew from the way the knots around his wrists were tied that he's been taken by professionals. He had an IV bag attached to his arm, barely keeping him alive. Though, Peter supposed it wouldn't be that hard to google how much nutrients a human of his height and weight would need to survive and fix the dosage accordingly. especially given his Spiderman metabolism.

He knew that he'd been tied up here for more than a month and that no amateur would've been able to keep him that long. He knew that the man who entered the room every morning wasn't just some random guy.

One thing that both brought his spirits up and down was the team. Because he knew in the beginning that there was a chance they'd find him, and each day that went by was a slimmer chance. Now the team only reminded him that he'd never be rescued and if they ever did, it would be too late. Only person he didn't want to think about was Aunt May, and how she was.

He prayed she was well, but he didn't want to think about the possibility- which was very high- of never seeing her again.

Peter wasn't blindfolded, no he knew his captures face. He knew how it looked when Peter screamed, he it looked when Peter didn't give a reaction. 

"You should probably oil up that door." Peter barely whispered having no energy for the sarcastic comments. The man paid no attention to him though, just set down some equipment on the old metal table that was rusting from the blood it collected. "No seriously, it's getting annoying." Again the man- if he was even that- ignored him, Peter just looked away.

He tried his damnest not to look at the marks (experiencing the pain was bad enough) but occasionally his eyes would fall and he'd see the evidence off his time here. The man in front of him, if he could even be called that, paid no mind to the previous wounds. You'd think that be great but it truly wasn't. Peter knew that if it wasn't for his healing power he'd be covered in scars head to toe, but unfortunately the healing process was slow leaving mark there for days, before they disappeared, well not as of late considering his body needed more to heal faster.

He looked back up and saw the man had set up a machine he grew too close with the past few months. He didn't struggle as much as he used to back in the beginning, but struggle did he. Like hell he was going to let himself get electrocuted.

"What did I do to you?" Peter asked, for the first time in a long time, he just wanted to know why.

The man grabbed a tool, a clip of sorts that was placed on Peter's tongue like it had been serval times before, only this time, the clip didn't gradually increase in heat. This time, it was burning hot from the first touch, until he was screaming. and Peter didn't have a second to adjust.

He shouldn't be able to scream, but he did and it sounded like an animal behind skinned alive.

\--

Peter didn't pray anymore, he stopped believing in God around the same time he first stopped asking questions.

It had been three days since he had asked his torturer. Since then, he's been too afraid to speak. That and the jolts of electricity that had been sent to his tongue impaired his ability to do so. He barely healed his tongue to the point where he could breath without it hurting, let alone make sarcastic banter. 

As if on cue, the metal door slid open and, once again, Peter's ears were filled with that horrible scraping sound. He wanted to say something and opened his mouth to do so, but only served to gag on his own tongue, the sound amplified by the emptiness of the room.

"You have no idea why you're here, do you?" At the sound, Peter jumped, inadvertently putting pressure on his broken shoulder blade. He grit his teeth to stop from screaming out, knowing that the sound would be monstrous even to his own ears.

The voice sounded like it was close, but Peter couldn't see. It was too dark.

"Not that you need to worry about that. You'll be too dead to care."

At his words Peter's eyes widened. He wished he could say that it was in fear, but the feeling that flooded him was far too sweet. The wicked touch off relief washed over Peter's broken bones, and he felt as though he could finally breathe. But on the outside, he remained stoic.

Then out of nowhere Peter felt an object- no doubt a hammer like many times before- Hit his ribs knocking out his breath, and break serval ribs. He let out a scream. It didn't stop there, no that would've been to easy. No, the man continued to hit him in various other places.

Twenty minutes later, when He had finished, Peter began to cry. He didn't care how he looked with tears leaving clear paths down his bloodied face. He didn't care that he was becoming more and more dehydrated or that when his stomach heaved he could see his ribs as clear as day.

He was weak, but he didn't care.


	11. Avengers

Tony sat in his chair bouncing his foot up and down, in anxiety. He waited for Fury like the rest of the team. 

"We caught wind that a man might have Peter, coordinates have been given-

"Then what are we waiting for?" Steve asked a question Tony had pondered.

"Word is he's dead." Fury said sounding off, almost sad, but that wasn't it. It couldn't be Fury was heartless-

"Dead?" Tony repeated feeling his heart shatter. "What are the coordinates?" Tony asked standing up already ready to fight the son of a-

"Tony I can't have you going in there not thinking st-"

"Think of the kid, Fury! You're wasting valuable time, because, what, you think I'm not thinking straight?" Tony argued ready to hack the system for the information if need be.

Fury frowned at Tony, maybe cause he had a point, he was wasting time, but truth be told, he didn't want Tony be the one to find the boy's dead boy if that was deal.

\---

God didn't exist, and if he did he was cruel. 

Peter locked eyes with a very beaten up Tony Stark. 

"Hey, Hey, We're here to save you buddy." He spoke and Peter stood silent, not having any words for it.

"Peter?" Steve Rogers said walking up behind Tony Stark, he looked equally beaten up, it was too real, but Peter knew better, and kept his mouth shut. "Are you alright?"

"You're seeing them again aren't you?" A more comforting voice said. It wasn't comforting because it was good, but because he knew this voice was real, he knew that it wasn't a figment of his imagination.

His captor loved talking as of late, and Peter didn't know if he liked the quieter version that only like dead silence or screams fill the space around them. 

A knife thrown into his shoulder snapped him from Clint Barton who was trying to talk to him.

"Yes you are." The man said with a wide smile. "You know, I think that's my favorite torture method. And I don't even have to do anything. Just sit back and watch your mind fuck with your head." He said throw another to knife at his leg, and again it was met with a scream.

If Peter didn't know any better, this man didn't care anymore. At first this man was carefully, not wanting a certain amount of blood to come out, careful to not say anything, and was precise with he methods, now the man did a full 360 and talked a much as he could complaining about the government, cut Peter till he bled enough to pass out, and did everything at random. It's like the guy was doing it for fun now, there was no reason, like-

Then he realized, this might be the end.

He sighed in relief, it would all be over soon.


	12. Found

It'd been four days, well as far as he could tell, and the man was not back. Peter knew that this was it. He wouldn't ever come back, he'd let Peter rot to death in this isolated place.

Not that he wanted the man to come back, but last time he saw him, the man was wearing an Iron Man mask, joking about how he'd idol was the one to kill him. Then threw a tiny grenade before leaving it to explode. It didn't help that Peter had no cover, and was still alive. 

He was a peace when he heard the cursed rusty door open again. Now he was just pissed, because he was just ready to de and this man kept pushing it.

"PETER!?" He heard the voice of Tony yell. HE looked up and saw the man in full Iron Man suit.

Peter frowned, did this man really leave for four days to make a realistic looking Iron Man suit. Or was it a hallucination. He looked back up to find any clues of which it was, when he did he not only saw Tony, but the rest of the Avengers, minus Clint and Bruce.

He smiled a bit, this was with definitely an illusion. He was going to see his idols right before he died. It made him sad that he couldn't even remember how May looked.

"The whole gangs here!" Peter said voice hoarse. "Oh man, and me without my suit." Peter laughed, not wanting his last moments to be ones of hurt. But he did feel a tear roll down his cheek. 

The faces on the Avengers were ones of concern, Tony lifted the mask and saw that Tony looked broken, looked tired, looked as though he hadn't eaten in days-months. Never had his hallucinations been this way, they always looked like he saw them last.

"Why the long face, Mr. Stark? It'll be over soon." Peter said trying to comfort his hallucination. The team were still frozen in their place, in shock.

\---

Tony heard the boy voice and knew his voice was that way from lack of water, and months of only screaming. And he saw the boys tear roll down his face, following a clear trail. He could see old dried up blood on his face with small trails going down his eyes, obviously from tears. It hurt him to see Peter like this. 

His hair was messed up, blood some how was in there dried up, torn from the scalp at some places and his mouth still bleed. The suit was no longer on the boy, maybe if it had been, there would only been holes in it. Because with his boy on full display- minus the boxers he still had on covered in old blood- they could see the scars and wounds still healing, which made Steve wince knowing if he hadn't had his healing ability there would be much more scars and wounds.

The right shoulder had a knife sticking out of it, blood dripping from the hole, it had to be the most recent.

"We got to get him to a hospital Tony." Natasha said and Peter looked back up at her. She froze in place, his eyes though, almost swollen shut, looked void of any emotion.

"I wonder if they really care anymore." They all heard the beaten teen say, no longer trying to sound happy.

\---

Peter stared at them wondering aloud. Not bothering to conceal his thoughts from his own mind.

"They probably just got done with another mission, eating the fancy food Mr. Stark gets made." Peter said to himself picturing them not worrying about him, and it brought a small smile to his face. He felt himself slowly going to sleep. Finally

\---

Tony caught on first, realizing the kid thought they weren't real.

"Hey, buddy listen to me, we're here, real!" Tony said stepping forward and went to grab the knife before the kid stared into his eyes with no hope. 

"Please don't do that." Peter pleaded. "I hate when I give myself hope." Peter said to himself obviously still thinking it was his subconscious playing tricks on him, 

Tony was too numb for words. There were tears streaming down his face, but that didn't matter. He stopped in front of the boy and kneeled down before him, watching. His eyes were shut, swollen but shut, and his face looked to be at peace. In that moment, he saw it. The shade of pink that was quickly fading from the boy's lips, the pale coloured skin stretched across a familiar looking face, the dark, inky black to his hair.

In that moment, Tony looked down and saw the corpse of his dead son and realised it was too late.

"Tony."

His head snapped up and he looked at Natasha like she was speaking Chinese. The red head held his gaze and spoke again, and Tony saw her lips move, he recognised she was saying something but it just *didn't make sense*. Finally, Natasha took Tony's hand and brought it to the body. He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him. There, she pressed two of his fingers to the boy's throat, matted with dry blood and waited.

And waited

And waited

Until he felt a tiny little beat.

"He's alive."


	13. Numb

Tony was too numb for words. There were tears streaming down his face, but that didn't matter. He stopped in front of the boy and kneeled down before him, watching. His eyes were almost shut, swollen, and his face looked to be at peace. In that moment, he saw it. The shade of pink that was quickly fading from the boy's lips, the pale coloured skin stretched across a familiar looking face, the dark, inky black to his hair. Knife lodged in his shoulder.

In that moment, Tony looked down and saw the corpse of his dead- and realised it was too late.

"Tony."

His head snapped up and he looked at Natasha like she was speaking Chinese. The red head held his gaze and spoke again, and Tony saw her lips move, he recognised she was saying something but it just *didn't make sense*. Finally, Natasha took Tony's hand and brought it to the body. He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him. There, she pressed two of his fingers to the boy's throat, matted with dry blood and waited.

And waited

And waited

Until he felt a tiny little beat.

"He's alive."

It's Steve, Tony is sure about this, who was the first to come to his senses and get help. He called out to Hill back at S.H.I.E.L.D. who sent in an emergency helicopter that was there within five minutes. They loaded the kid's body up and took him away quickly, without a word. Tony didn't know who exactly pushed her on, but Natasha was there too, still clutching on to her friend's hand as though he might evaporate.

They ended up in a hospital, one that met S.H.I.E.L.D.'s impossible standards so Tony didn't think to complain. When they landed on the helipad, Tony and Natasha were taken as far as the emergency room before a nurse pulled them back and forced them into a waiting room near by.

Natasha tried to comfort Tony but she'd never been good at those kind of things anyway. Eventually, they just sat in silence after Tony almost hit her, which led to her punching Tony in the face, bringing him back. The doctors told them there was a chapel next door, and were welcomed to go while they operated. Not that either of the two went, both too pessimistic to believe in that at the moment.

The Avengers came and went, but there wasn't much anyone could say. Peter was still in surgery and no one heard anything from anyone. For three more hours he sat there, waiting in an uncomfortable chair before the world decided they'd given Tony enough peace and began to attack.


	14. Reality?

Peter woke up feeling like shit-

But he wasn't tied up, his wrists didn't hurt from being hung from them-

He was laying down on a fairly soft bed-

Opened his eyes and the dimly lit room was still bright considering his eyes were used to dark places for the last-

How long has it been?

Who found him?

Was this even real?

Was this another trick his mind-

No it was the man- he had said they's come for him- but that was weeks ago- was this really the man's friends.

He had to escape-

They only brought him here to get him better just to do the same thing over again- there's no way he was truly saved-

He sat up and looked around, the room didn't have anything but a couple chairs and medical equipment, one of the chairs had a jacket on it, it was a brown leather jacket, shit they were going to come back soon.

He slowly got up, ignoring all the pain the motion sent his nerves. 

He needed to escape- the pain would be worth it to get away.

His senses must have caught up, because he suddenly heard everything outside the room, all the noises were screaming in his ears.

His head began to hurt, and he wanted to pass out- but he had to escape.

The place he was in before didn't have any noise surrounding it, this one had a million, people talking, the water running, the medical equipment beeping, the faucet squeaking, footsteps, cars, people screaming, people sobbing, everything was too loud!

He needed to get away from the noise-

The smells were even worse- he was so used to only his blood, the man, and rusty metal. This was scents that burning his nose, rubbing alcohol-

He couldn't think-

He took off all the things hooked up to him and stumbled out of the room. 

He kept blinking as quickly as possible, the light hurting his eyes to keep them open for so long.

As he stumbled he realized he was in a hospital. But why? 

No time for questions.

He started picking up the pace- when he ran- walked into someone-

He looked at the person, and saw Clint- no his mind was playing tricks on him

"Peter it's me-" He said in a urged voice, but Peter just shook his head, getting equally dizzy with each turn.

"No no no! I let me go! I just wan-" He tired getting away away, going around, pushing the man, but Clint just held on to him. "Please!" Peter pleaded and felt himself start to cry.

"It's ok, Peter, you're safe now-"

"No, no- you're not real-"

"Ye-

"Please just let me go!" Peter said or tried to, it came out tight and hoarse, and there was no way he could be understood by the other man.

"Do you really want me to let you go buddy?" Clint asked and Peter looked into the mans face, lights were messing with his vision but he could see Clint's blue eyes-

"No- I just want to go home!" Peter said and hugged the man- real or not it felt nice to have human contact that wasn't hurting him. Not that his injuries weren't burning.

"It's ok- we'll take you home when you're better." Clint's voice said, and Peter almost believed his hallucination.

"Yeah, I make it home to May, and everyone..." Peter said feeling himself start to lose consciousness.

"I'm really here." Clint said voice on the verge of crying- Clint wouldn't cry, right?

"You will be, buddy." Peter said, hope. 

Why would his mind give him false hope again?

It didn't matter in that moment he was good. 

He didn't need anything else, not new stitches for his bleed recently opened ones, not water for his dried throat, not food for his empty stomach, just a hug from a friend, real or not.


	15. Comfort

Tony ran when he heard FRIDAY say Peter leaving the room, tumbling out of the room.

When he got the the two, he saw Peter struggling out of Clint's grip, he quickly rushed forward to help Peter- but Natasha stopped his quickly.

He looked at her with anger but then she nodded at the two who seemed to have an understanding, with Peter stopping his escape.

"He doesn't need to be over crowded right now, Tony, who knows what could set him off. Clint can handle Peter." She said and he noticed that Steve and Sam were right next to her nodding.

"But I'm-" Tony started but got a look from Bruce and he nodded. "Fine- but next time he wakes up, that kid is mine no stealing him, got it?" Tony said glancing at them before walking away and everyone else followed.

He had work to do, more security, updates to the programs he made to watch on Peter's health. FRIDAY was great, but didn't have the connection KAREN did with Peter.

He got in the elevator and everyone else stayed on the Medical floor, just out of sight from Peter.

He needed to get himself together, for Peter, they finally found him. But his mind was a mess, even more then usual, ideas coming to his head faster than ever before. Most likely with the stress, he worked good under stress. Probably not nice but the job got down.

"Tony? You ok man?" Rhodey asked when he looked up from his thoughts Tony saw himself in his lab, device under his hands almost finished, he had absentmindedly been upgrading some piece of Stark tech, for god knows how long.

"Always." Tony said looking up at his best friend and saw worry in the creases of his forehead. "What?"

"You know what. You've been down here for days at a time, you finally come out for a couple minutes-"

"How long has it been since Clint got the kid to calm down?" Tony asked not bothering to listen to Rhodey lecture him. He already asked FRIDAY to inform him if anything should change in Peter's condition but he still hasn't heard squat.

"Wh- Two days-"

He's been in the lab for two days? Sounds about right.

"-Kid hasn't woken up, doctors say it's cause of his extreme condition or something, they don't even know how the hell the kid managed to wake up the first time, let alone walk around."

"Sir, it appears Peter's vitals are suggesting your presence should be needed quickly." FRIDAY said and that's all Tony needed before his brain went haywire.

Should he even go? He was the one that put the kid through this! He was the one that let him go!

"Go Tony!" Was all he needed from Rhodey before he made his way to the med bay.

"Call a doctor-

"I have already alerted them of his vitals change." FRIDAY said and Tony smirked, of course she did. He didn't bother to thank her, or tell her which floor to stop him on. But it was done.

He went to the bed Peter was located at and saw him start to stir- no not stir, he was flinching, he was afraid.

He then started thrashing and Tony quickly held the kid down, not wanting him to hurt himself.

"Peter! Peter I need you to try and wake up! It's not real! Whatever you see isn't real!" Tony said quietly, but loud enough so that he knew the kid could hear without hurting his sensitive ears. He repeated calming things before the kid woke up, blinking himself awake with tear dropping from his eyes.

"Mr. Stark?" He voice came out a whisper and Tony's heart broke at how little his voice sounded.

"It's me I'm here." Tony reassured keeping eye contact.

"Bu-but he's- you're not real, he's-"

"I'm here, I'm real."

"He can't be." Peter said to changing his mind. 

"Ok, if I wasn't here, humor me. Where else would I be?" Tony asked sitting on the bed.

"huh?"

"Well, I'm not real, where would the 'real me' be?" Tony asked eyes glossy, he knew they were.

"I-I don't-" Tony made a buzzer noise.

"Wrong answer." Tony said and saw Peter frown in confusion, he was thinking great, he needed Peter thinking instead of solely convincing himself that Tony and everything else wasn't real.

"Fine, he- he's at meeting in China that Pepper forced him to show up to." Peter said after a moment of silence and Tony nodded.

"Except it's 2 o'clock in the morning over there." Tony said. "And even if that was the case, none of that is more important than you." Tony added feeling it needed to be said.

Peter stated quiet for a coulpe minutes, Tony didn't know what would set him off so he stayed quiet.

"You're not real, but you look real." Peter said after a while and Tony looked back at the kid who was staring at him.

"What makes you certain I'm not real?" Tony asked scrunching his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Mr. Stark talks a lot, he's never quiet, even when he works he hums, he hates it when I call him Mr.Stark." Tony saw that Peter wanted to say more but he stopped himself, feeling the need to stay quiet. He'd have to ask Natasha to-

Tony took a minute to think of what to respond.

"Alright kid you got a point, bu- god how do I say this- I'm scared, I don't know what to do. I don't know what could set you off- but I'm real, just scared, but happy- definitely happy you're safe now."

"From what?" Peter asked and Tony frowned. 

"What? What do you mean from what-" toy got it but Peter said it anyways.

"I can't tell if you're real, I might be safe from the man- b-but doesn't change that my mind is fighting itself." Peter said and his eyes looked a million miles away. 'how do I know what's real or not?"

"I'll tell you, you trust me right?"

"How will I know it's really you, Mr.Stark?" Peter asked and it was a valid question, and made Tony think.

"Tap your hand." He said after a beat, in a obvious voice. Peter looked at him crazy.

"What?" 

"You're Spidey sense, won't just activate for something that's not there." Tony said and Peter still looked off up by his answer. "What?"

"What if you're not there?" Petter asked giving him a weird look.

"Well- I'll be there, call me whenever."

"You don't-"

"I'm serious, Peter. You need to know that I'm for you no matter what." Tony said smiling down at Peter who stared at his hands, almost like they were a stranger to him. "How do I know I w-won't be a danger to anyone." Tony's smile sagged.


	16. Recovery?

The team shifted on the thin ice it was on.

The ice sheet they used to stand on had been Peter missing, everyone became a bit distant, each finding a different way to deal with their loss.

Now, however, the thin sheet was Peter's condition.Each one afraid to bring something up- they all knew they'd have to talk about it eventually, talk about how they'd move forward, how they'd help Peter adjust. 

Because he needed help, not from them, Sam made it clear Tony needed to set up therapy sessions for the kid.

The kid.

He was just a kid...

A majority of team was iffy about the kid when he first joined. Believing he was to naive, trusting, and lack experience. 

Now they only wished he retained that state. Now he had experience- a gruesome experience to last a life timed had come out of the time skeptical of everything, and it showed most when he didn't trust even himself.


End file.
